


Neighbors

by gaydemonium



Category: Mortal Instruments, Shadowhunters
Genre: Malec, Malec Fluff, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-22
Updated: 2016-05-22
Packaged: 2018-06-10 01:19:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6932134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaydemonium/pseuds/gaydemonium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec and Magnus become neighbors (AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Neighbors

**Author's Note:**

> AU where Alec and Magnus become neighbors. Actually a continuation of Delivery Boy (takes place months later) via all the requests for a second part. So enjoy. It's worth the read. Trust me

"How far are you from the top step?" Huffed Robert Lightwood. 

"Uh....about three more steps. Are you losing your grip?" Alec called out. 

Another huff. "No. I'm losing my breath. Let's hurry up and bring this up before I lose everything."

When the couch was finally up the last stair, the two Lightwoods collapsed on top of it, breathing heavily. 

"We still have to bring up my desk too...." Alec breathed out. "And my bed."

Robert groaned. "I'm hiring a mover. I can't carry another thing up that stairwell. Is anyone even aware that the elevator is out of order? That would make life so much easier."

"You could just start working out," Alec dodged his father's playful hand. "Call in Michael. I'm sure he'd help us out. Maybe Jace can come over too."

Robert was already on his phone as he spoke, chatting away to his best friend Michael Wayland. 

Alec's own phone began to ring. It was Jace. "I was just talking about you!" Alec laughed as he answered. 

"I figured. My ears were burning," Jace snorted. "What's up? I heard you're moving into your own place?"

"Yup. My own bachelor pad. Finally."

"And when were you going to tell me? I had to overhear this from my dad who's on the phone with yours. That's pretty sad, dude. My feelings are hurt."

Alec laughed. "Well if it makes you feel any better, why don't you come over and help me bring up furniture? We could use some extra muscle."

"I do have nice muscles," Alec heard Jace kiss his bicep and laughed. "Text me the address and I'll be there as soon as possible."

"Will do. See you in a bit." Alec hung up just when his father did the same. "Is Michael coming over?"

"He has meetings all day long. He said Jace would though. Were you just talking to him?"

"Yeah, I just got to text him the address and he said he'll be right over. I'll do that there now....." He tapped away on his phone and sent the address to Jace. "Done. Pretty sad that we can't handle this by ourselves."

Robert laughed. "I'm not as young as I used to be, kiddo. Believe it or not I used to be a weightlifting champion."

"Ugh. Not this again," a voice said behind Robert. Isabelle, Alec's younger sister, groaned and sat on the couch (which was still out in the hallway). "We heard this story before, daddy. It's old. Like you."

Robert sighed. "I love telling that story. Reminds me of my younger days...."

Alec sat next to Isabelle, completely ignoring his father's audible mumbling. "What's up? Just got off work?"

"Nope. I closed up shop today. I'm trying to avoid someone there. Surprisingly, I ended up seeing him on the street. But he didn't see me, thank god."

"Who's he?"

Isabelle shrugged. "Some guy named Simon. You don't know him. He keeps trying to get my number at the shop. I mean he's cute and all but I don't know....actually, I think he's kinda nerd hot. Annoying but nerd hot."

Alec rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I'll never understand your love/hate fascination with that boy. Just ask him out already!"

"I can't! He's Clary's best friend. I think he likes Clary but I'm not entirely sure. It would make things weird...." She sighed. "Maybe I should just forget about him altogether. There's plenty of fish in the sea."

"The sea is full of sharks, Izzy. You could get eaten," a voice laughed. Jace took the stairs two at a time and plopped himself down between Alec and Isabelle. "Who are we talking about anyway? Do I have to punch anyone?"

Isabelle scoffed. "Chill, Jace. We're talking about Simon-"

"Simon? That nerd with the glasses that hangs around with my girlfriend? That Simon?"

"That's the one. I'm contemplating whether or not I should get his number. He came into the shop today but I kind of just blew him off. It was a busy day-"

Alec snorted. "Busy. Are we talking about the same bakery our family owns? The one you cried and begged our parents to run on your own?"

Isabelle flipped him the finger. "That bakery is my life, Alexander. Seeing how you're out of a job right now, why don't you come work for me? You could learn a thing or two. Maybe learn how to keep a steady job."

Jace sniggered. "Yeah, Alec. You could learn a thing or two. Like how to squeeze frosting on a cupcake. Essential life skills," he groaned as Alec punched him in the shoulder. "Okay. I deserved that."

"Damn right you did. Just for that, you're carrying my stuff up by yourself. Have fun, you dick," Alec waved as Jace rolled his eyes and headed back downstairs. "I should go help him. He's going to drop and break something expensive. I can just feel it."

"Go then. I'll head over to Clary's and see if-"

"Simon's there?"

"....no. She's finishing up an art project for her mom's gallery reveal. She might need an extra set of hands to help her carrying her work. Me being the extra set of hands, of course. Good luck with the whole moving thing. Love you, Alec!" She kissed her brother on the cheek before stomping down the stairs and singing at the top of her lungs. 

Sighing, Alec somehow managed to get his couch inside his apartment by himself. Granted, it wasn't easy and he scratched the floor that many times that it now looked like someone was being dragged to their deaths and they clawed at the floor with their nails. If Alec's mother saw the floors, she'd be disgusted. But then again, she was always disgusted with everything he did. 

"Alec! I'm gonna drop your bureau! Please help me before I kill myself on the stairs!" Jace shouted from the third floor stairwell. 

When the bureau was in place, both boys collapsed on the couch, exhausted.

"I'm too tired to do anymore work. What else did you need brought up?" Jace popped a gum in his mouth. 

Alec counted on his fingers. "My bed. Two dressers. Bedside table. Two armchairs. Boxes filled with my stuff-"

"So basically your entire house. Uh uh. Nope. I'm out. I got a hot date with Clary in an hour and I have no intentions on being late. All that stuff just sitting down in the lobby? That's all yours. Help yourself. Have fun, you dick!" Jace waved and left the apartment before Alec could even retaliate. 

"Dammit," Alec rubbed his neck. "Got to bring up all that crap with no help whatsoever-" He jumped as he crashed into someone making their way upstairs. "Sorry. Didn't see you there."

The person he bumped into was oddly quiet for a moment. "Alec? Is that you?"

"Huh?" Alec looked at the stranger in front of him. Dark hair that was shaved on the sides tied back into a man bun. Dark almond shaped eyes that was covered in eye liner. His mouth (which was hidden behind a layer of black lipstick) curved up into a huge smile. Overall, he seemed somewhat familiar. "Do I know you?"

"Uh, yeah! We met a few months ago! You delivered pizza to my door! Remember? I'm Magnus! Magnus Bane!"

Magnus Bane.....Magnus! Of course! Alec remembered bringing him pizza one night and Magnus invited him to his party. Wasn't much of a party. It was for his cat. Alec wondered if it came back eventually. 

"Oh. Magnus. I remember you now. You, uh.....kissed me that night. You still live here?"

Magnus beamed. "I'm glad you remembered. And yes, I still own the entire top floor. I couldn't get you out of my head for weeks. I called in a week later for another delivery but got a girl instead. Not that I mind girls. I swing for both teams. But that's besides the point. What happened to you?"

Alec shrugged. "I got fired a week later. My boss got fed up with me not showing up with payments so he gave me the pink slip. I've been out of a job ever since."

Magnus frowned. "Sorry to hear that. Have you looked into any positions anywhere else in the fast food industry?"

Why am I even discussing this with him Alec thought. "I'm not sure. My family owns a bakery not far from here. Well, my sister owns it. She loves to cook and bake. She's really good at it. She actually offered me a job earlier today."

"And have you considered it?"

"I don't see why not. No one else is lining up to hire me. Might as well."

Magnus smiled. "That's wonderful, Alec. You're bouncing back nicely. Are you seeing anyone?"

Alec nearly choked on air. "N-no. There's no one."

"No? No girlfriend moving in with you?" Magnus peered into the open doorway leading into Alec's apartment. 

"I'm not into....look, I have to bring up the rest of my furniture, okay? All my little helpers left me for someone else and I'm stuck doing this by myself. And it could take a while too. So it was nice seeing you again."

Magnus dropped his bags to the floor. "Don't be stupid. Let me help you out. It's the least I can do for my new neighbor, right?"

Alec stared at him, surprised. "Uh....sure. Yeah. I mean, that's if you want to. You don't have to-"

"I think the bed would be the easiest to bring up first. Bring it up in pieces. That'll make it even more easy for us."

Alec watched as Magnus skipped down the stairs, whistling a jolly tune. This man really was something else. 

Smiling to himself, Alec followed him down to the lobby to bring up what was left of his belongings. 

➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰

"Here's to a new beginning and a new start on life," Magnus made a toast as he poured Alec a glass of wine. 

Alec took a sip. He wasn't used to alcohol and the taste made him cringe. "Thanks for helping me bring up my stuff. I think I would've been there all night if you hadn't helped out."

"Pffft," Magnus scoffed. "It was nothing. Besides. It gave me an excuse to open up this....very exquisite and expensive bottle of wine. I hate drinking alone," he chuckled. 

Alec smiled. "Still. Wine or no wine. Would you have helped me anyway?"

Magnus shrugged. "Probably. It's not very often we get handsome tenants like yourself moving in. I saw this as a golden opportunity to get to know you better. The first time didn't really end well."

They sat down on the couch together and watched the city lights through the large window. Brooklyn looked like the world inverted at night; the city were the stars instead of having the stars in the sky. Alec loved stars. It was too bad he couldn't see them in the city. 

"Where were you living when you worked at Hodge's?" Magnus asked. 

"Home. I was saving up to go to school but we both know that didn't turn out so well...." Alec took another sip of wine. The taste wasn't so bad now. "I was going to study law like my parents. I was going to move out, go to school, get my degree and finally be somebody that my parents can be proud of."

"They're not proud of you now?"

Alec scratched his neck. "Not really. I'm their first born. There's expectations to meet. I'm expected to be the mature one-which I am. But it's like whenever I do the right thing, it's still never good enough for them."

Magnus clicked his tongue. "It's not about impressing them, Alexander. Sometimes you just have to do what's right for you. Sometimes you have to make the choice that in the end, makes you happy."

Alec fought back the tears that were threatening to roll down his face. "It's hard, Magnus. I just want to feel good enough. I just want to-" He choked on a sob before clearing his throat. "I'm going to become a lawyer. I will."

Magnus sighed through his nose. "And I bet you'll make an incredible lawyer, Alec. But just think about your future in the long run. Will you be happy with your choices? Or will you regret not being able to make the right decision at the right time? The choice is yours," Magnus placed his glass on the coffee table. "Well then. Thanks for having me and letting me break open a wine I'd probably never would've broke open in the first place, but I really should be going."

They both got to their feet and Alec walked him to the door. "It's me who should be thanking you. I don't think I could've brought my stuff up without you. So thanks again."

Magnus smiled. "Anytime. If you ever need anything, just give me a call. Let me jot my number down for you...." Magnus scribbled his number down on a napkin for Alec. "There you go. Like I said, I'm just a text or call away. Plus I'm also on the floor above you. Feel free to stop by anytime."

"Thanks. I'll try and visit when things settle down a bit," Alec nodded as he opened the front door. "Thanks again, Magnus. For everything."

Magnus winked. "The pleasure's mine, handsome. Goodnight."

Alec felt his heart hammering in his chest as he watched Magnus take the last flight of stairs up to his floor. When he closed the door, it was only then he realized he was holding in a breath. He breathed out, leaning against the door as he closed it. 

That night, he finished off the wine by himself and fell into a drunken sleep. He dreamt that Magnus had golden cat eyes and blue flames sparked out of his hands. 

➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰

Alec accidentally dumped an entire bag of flour into the bowl before he could realize there was a tear in the bag. It fell everywhere; the bowl, the counter, the floor. It was everywhere. Even on his apron and in his hair. 

"Crap. Uh.....Iz? Can you come back in the kitchen for a second?" He called out. Isabelle was up front serving customers. He could hear their voices. 

DeLightwood's was Isabelle's pride and joy. She poured her heart and soul into the bakery and she proved to their parents that she was a hardworking and very dedicated business owner. Even Alec was surprised by the effort she put into the store. He didn't think she would stick with this for very long but it's been 3 years since it opened and Isabelle hasn't given up on it yet. 

Isabelle finally came into the kitchen. "You needed me for-okay. Wow. Wow. What the hell happened here?"

Alec looked at the mess of flour everywhere. "We've been robbed?"

Izzy snorted. "Right. They probably thought the flour was crack and tried to steal it. Hope you stopped them from stealing our stash."

"Well I made a mess out of it, didn't I? See? There's crack in my hair," he moved away from the counter and shook his hair out. 

"Alec it's everywhere. How does flour even get inside a closed cupboard, anyway?" Isabelle grabbed a broom and began to sweep the floor up. 

"One of the thieves tried to escape. Though the cupboard was the exit," Alec laughed as Isabelle raised her broom to smack him. "I'm kidding! There was a hole in the bag and I didn't see it. It tore open and just landed everywhere. Sorry."

Isabelle sighed. "It's fine. We got plenty of flour. But you have to be more careful, Alec. This is coming out of your pay check."

"You've got to be kidding me. Seriously? For a freaking bag of flour?" Alec was cut off when he heard the bell above the entrance door ring. "This conversation isn't over. I'll be right back."

"Try not to dump anything on the customers while you're up front!" Isabelle sang out, earning herself the middle finger from Alec. 

A young man around Isabelle's age stood at the counter, looking at cupcakes in the display case. His eyes were wide behind a pair of thick black framed glasses and they sparkled when Alec approached. 

"Hi. Can I help you with anything?" Alec asked. 

"I'm actually looking for Isabelle. Is she working today?" The young man asked. 

Alec rolled his eyes. "You must be Simon."

Simon beamed. "Yeah! Has she mentioned me to you or something? She must've told you how awesome I am."

"She's mentioned how annoying you were. That much I remember," Alec watched Simon's smile slowly turn into a frown. "Now either you came here to make an order or buy something. My sister is off limits. She's not even on the menu-"

"Alec! It's fine. Really. It's okay. Go back into the kitchen and finish frosting the cupcakes," Isabelle rushed out, a smile on her face. "Max is there waiting for you. He's determined to help you. Hi Simon....." She blushed. 

Simon waved. "Hi Isabelle. Your brother has terrible social skills. He should really work on that."

Isabelle giggled. "My brother needs to work on a lot of things. Socializing isn't really his strong point."

Alec rolled his eyes. "I'm going to back into the kitchen now. You can continue to talk about me when I'm there," he glared at Simon before walking through the double doors that led to the kitchen. 

Max was already there trying to tie his apron on around his waist. "Alec! There you are! It's like learning to tie my shoes all over again...."

Alec laughed as he watched his 10 year old brother chase the strings around. "Max. You're going to make yourself dizzy doing that. Here." He knelt down and tied the string behind Max's back. "There. All done. Ready to bake some cupcakes?"

"I'm the one who bakes them. You always burn yours," Max said. Always speaking the truth, Max. 

They gathered their ingredients and mixed them together in a mixing bowl. Once Alec popped them in the oven, they sat down on a stool together and shared a bag of chocolate chips. 

"Did dad drop you off here when he picked you up from school?" Alec asked. 

"Mom picked me up today. She said dad had a meeting with a client today so she came and got me instead. Then she said she had errands to run," Max said as he popped a chocolate chip into his mouth. 

Meetings. Errands. If Max only knew what those words really meant Alec thought. "So how was school today? Did you pass in your science project?"

Max nodded enthusiastically. "I did! My teacher was really impressed by how realistic the portal looked. She said maybe in a few years, humans could travel by portal instead of cars and stuff."

Alec smiled. "That's great, bud. I'm glad she was happy with it."

Isabelle made her way through the kitchen doors and sighed at the sight of Max and Alec sitting down and eating chocolate. "Seriously, guys? I don't pay you to sit down or eat the ingredients."

"I don't get paid. I'm just a kid," Max shrugged and ate another piece of chocolate. 

"Lucky," Alec grumbled. "So where's Simon? Is he still here?"

"No. He's long gone. We're going to see a movie tonight after his band plays a show at Pandemonium. Did you know he's in a band? They're called The Mortal Instruments. He plays guitar."

"Did you know that I honestly don't care? I really don't. I don't fancy him at all-" Alec was cut off as Isabelle shoved a spoon in his mouth. 

"Show me where I asked for your opinion. I don't care if you fancy him or not. You're not the one going on a date with him. I am. So chill out, big bro."

Max laughed and took the spoon from Alec's mouth. "Alec can't date Simon. Simon is a boy!"

Alec grabbed the nearest frying pan and hit himself on the forehead with it. 

"Why's he doing that?" Max whispered. 

"He's weird like that. A couple more hits to the head and he'll be completely useless in the kitchen. I'll have to hire you, munchkin!" Isabelle tickled Max under the arms, making him squirm and laugh. 

Alec scoffed. "So this date. Is it tonight?"

Isabelle nodded. "I'm closing up early today so when that batch is done, take them out and put them in the fridge. I'm going to make ice cream cupcakes when I come in tomorrow morning."

"I love ice cream cupcakes!" Max clapped his hands. "Alec probably burnt his. He usually does."

Alec threw Max over his shoulder. "That's it. You're going in the trash bin outside, bud. You're stinking up the place."

Max squealed and laughed as Alec pretended to toss him into the garbage bin outside. "No! I'm telling mom!"

"Mom's not here to save you now, you little gremlin!" Alec tickled Max some more before setting him down on the ground. "What do you say we go back to my place and play video games, huh? We'll order pizza for supper until mom or dad come to get you later."

Max cheered. "Sounds good to me! Are we gonna tell Isabelle we're leaving?"

Alec looked up through the window and saw Isabelle talking to a customer up front. "Nah. It'll be our little secret."

➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰

A full pizza and a half later, the Lightwood boys were stuffed. They laid on the couch, unmoving, watching as Max flicked through the channels. 

"Six hundred channels and nothing to watch...." Max grumbled. 

"I'm sure at your age that seems like the worst thing that can ever happen to you," Alec said. 

"It really is. I'd rather be dead."

Alec gave him a gentle smack. "Don't let me hear you talk like that anymore. Or I'll tell mom and dad. They'll take your anime away from you."

Max sighed. "Sorry. It's just that I'm worried about mom and dad. They don't talk much to each other anymore. And sometimes I hear them yelling at each other."

Alec sat up on the couch. "Did you tell mom and dad that you hear them?" Max shook his head. "You should, bud. If it's bothering you that much then you should talk to them. Let them know how you feel."

A tap on the window made the boys jump. On the patio step, a small tabby cat scratched at the patio door, meowing to get in. Max ran over to the door almost immediately and opened it up, letting the cat in. 

"Aww. It's so cute! Can you keep him, Alec? Please?" Max stroked the cat's fur and it purred under his touch. 

"It could belong to someone already, Max-" There was a knock on the door. "Don't let it on the couch, okay? I don't need cat fur everywhere-" He opened the front door and paused. Magnus stood there with a grin on his face. "Magnus. Hi."

"Alec. Hi to you too. Did my cat happen to fall from the fourth floor onto your balcony by any chance?"

Alec looked at him, too stunned for words. "Maybe? Is your cat gray with stripes?"

Magnus sighed with relief. "That would be him? Little devil. Always getting into trouble. Can I come in and take him with me?"

Alec nodded. "Sure. He's inside with my brother. He let him inside."

Magnus made his way to the living room and laughed when he saw Max with the cat. "Chairman Meow! I see you made a new friend! You must be Alec's brother, I'm assuming?"

Max nodded. "Yup. I'm Max. I like your cat."

"I'm Magnus. I'm glad you like my cat, Max. I like your brother."

Alec's head was spinning. "Wait, what? This is Chairman? The Chairman? The one you threw the party for that time?"

Magnus chuckled. "The one and only. He returned home to me after everyone left the party that night. Slept beside me all night. Little devil, aren't you? Who's daddy's special boy?"

Chairman purred as Magnus kissed his tiny cat face.

"So why exactly did he jump from the fourth floor down to this one?" Alec asked. 

Magnus shrugged. "I have no idea. Usually he just sits on the patio. He never jumps. Not until you moved in." He watched Chairman rubbed up against Alec's leg. "Chairman seems to like you."

"And does he like many people?" Alec rubbed the cat under its chin, causing it to purr even more. 

"Not many. Just the special ones."

Magnus and Alec stared at each other for what felt like a century before Max broke the silence. 

"Dad's here!" He sang out. "I saw his car pull up. Thanks for the pizza, Alec! Bye!" 

"Bye, bud. See you tomorrow," Alec was still looking at Magnus, who had now turned his attention to his phone and was typing away on it. "So.....got any plans for tonight?"

Magnus peered up from his phone. "Yes, as a matter of fact. There's a band playing at my club tonight and I have to go help them set up. It's never anything simple."

"Wait. Your club?"

"Yeah. Pandemonium? My club?"

Alec's mouth dropped open. "You own Pandemonium?!"

Magnus smirked. "Yes, Alec. I own it. Is there a problem with that?"

Alec shook his head. "No. No. I'm just surprised. I didn't take you for a club owner."

Magnus crossed his legs and sat back against the couch. "And what did you take me for, Alexander?"

Alec's mouth had gone dry. He tried to swallow whatever saliva he had in his mouth, but it was completely empty. Magnus continued to smirk at him from the couch and he couldn't take it anymore. He got to his feet. "Want something to drink?"

"Water, please. So how did you hear about my club? If you don't mind me asking."

Alec grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge. "My sister. She mentioned it at the bakery today. Some guy she has a crush on is playing there tonight."

"Is his band called The Mortal Instruments?"

"I think that's what she said."

"Ah. Yes. I remember him now. Skinny guy. Glasses. Jew fro. Always wears an ironic shirt of some sort. He's a nice enough young man. Plays guitar if I remember correctly." Magnus sat up and looked directly into Alec's eyes. "Come to the show tonight. I'll put you on the VIP list. Drinks are on the house."

Alec sighed. "I'm not much of a drinker. Or a club person. In fact, I'm the least interesting person in the whole world."

Magnus cocked his head to one side. "I think you're interesting. You hide behind a composed exterior when really you're lonely on the inside."

"Uh...." Alec paused when Magnus put a finger on his lips to silence him. 

"Come to the club tonight, Alec. You won't regret it. I'll see you at 9?"

Alec finally had enough spit in his mouth to swallow. "Y-yeah. I'll see you then." His heart skipped a beat as Magnus smiled down at him. "How does-how does this VIP thing work? Do I just give them my name and they let me in or something?"

Magnus began to laugh. "You're not used to getting special treatment, are you? A handsome man like you deserves everything good in this world. Don't worry about VIP. I'll have everything covered when you arrive tonight. See you then, Alec."

Magnus tucked Chairman Meow under his arm and left Alec's apartment. It was oddly quiet now that he was gone. Quiet and lonely. Alec found himself sitting on the couch, listening to the noises of the city below. Without Magnus here, he suddenly realized how lonely he actually was. 

"Ah. I'll go. What do I have to lose?" He muttered to himself. The real challenge now was having to find something decent to wear and wasn't covered in flour or frosting stains. 

➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰

The lineup in front of Pandemonium was hectic, long, and nothing short of insane. Alec was pushed and pulled every which way that he was sure his brain was completely out of place but it was okay because he knew he was about to lose his hearing inside the club anyway. 

When he finally made it to the front of the line, the bouncer stared him down with an intense glare. Alec was tall; he was 6'3. But the bouncer was much taller than he was. 

"Name?" The bouncer rumbled. 

"Uh....Alec. Lightwood. Alec Lightwood." He watched as the bouncer searched his clipboard. "I should be on the VIP list."

The bouncer laughed. "Sure. That's what they all say. I don't see you on here, Alec Lightwood. If that's even your real name."

Alec frowned. "I was invited by the owner himself. He told me I'd be on the list!" Anger now flooded through his veins. Did Magnus lie to him?

"Listen. You're not here on the list. The owner doesn't invite people unless they really mean something to him-"

"What seems to be the problem here?" A voice called out. Magnus stepped out of the club doors and saw Alec standing beside the bouncer. "Alexander! You came! I didn't think you would, to be honest!"

Alec shrugged. "I was just about to leave. Your bouncer says I'm not on the list."

Magnus blew a raspberry. "I'll be responsible for this one, Lucian. I forgot to add his name to the list when I came to the club earlier. My mistake." Magnus waved a hand. "Come in! The party hasn't started yet but that doesn't mean you can't have fun."

The club was loud and filled with bright lights. Music blared from the speakers on the stage; the bass of the song reverberating in Alec's chest and ribs. People were dancing all around him, covered in sweat and glitter and glow stick powder. 

"Tonight is cheap night. All drinks are half off and there's no cover fee!" Magnus yelled over the music. "Put this badge on! At least I remembered to do this much earlier!"

Alec took the badge that Magnus handed him. "What's it for?"

"Everything is free. At least for you, anyway! No charge for anything tonight! Isn't that neat?"

Alec clipped the badge onto his jacket. It shone with a faint gold color under the lights above his head. "Are you allowed to do this?"

Magnus smiled, his teeth glowing in the dark. "I don't see why not. It's my club, isn't it? I can do as I please."

Magnus led him towards a large table with a card that said "RESERVED" resting on the top. He ushered Alec inside the booth and ordered a round of drinks. Alec felt overwhelmed with everything. Magnus was right for the most part. He wasn't used to getting special treatment. 

"I'll be right back! I need to remind the DJ of the time so he can make room for the band!" Magnus yelled. 

Alec nodded and watched him leave to head to the stage. If he told Isabelle where he was right now, she wouldn't believe him. She'd probably laugh and give him a lecture on how clubs weren't meant for reserved personalities like his own. He begged to differ. Magnus brought something out in him. A bravery and confidence he didn't know he had-

"Alec? Is that you?!" Speak of the devil. Isabelle approached the VIP table and laughed. "Wow. You really climbed the popularity hierarchy, didnt you?"

Alec scowled. "Go away, Izzy. Don't you a boyfriend to support or something?"

"Don't you?" She snapped back. "How many dicks did you have to suck in order to even get this table reserved?"

"None. I reserved it for him," Magnus returned to the table, smiling broadly at Isabelle. "Magnus Bane. And you are?"

Isabelle glanced at Alec and smirked. "Isabelle. I'm Alec's little sister. His very confused little sister."

"Ah. It gets easier. Trust me," Magnus smiled. 

Alec choked on his martini as he took a sip. 

Isabelle grinned. "So how is it that the promiscuous owner of a nightclub, notoriously known for throwing extravagant parties, knows my idiot of a brother?"

Magnus took a seat next to Alec, who noticed that the club owner was sitting extremely close to him. "Alec, is she okay? She sounds like she's choking on a dictionary."

"She's fine," Alec grumbled. "She likes to torment me all the time. Remind me I'm not as cool as she is."

Magnus frowned. "Oh. I see. She mustn't be that cool if she can't even sit at the VIP table."

Isabelle's glare burned a hole in Alec's face. "My boyfriend is playing in the band tonight. I think that's much cooler than some VIP table."

"He's not your boyfriend," Alec pointed out. "You said he was annoying at some point."

"I also said he was kind of nerd hot. Or did you forget?"

"Lightwoods. Please. Can we just have a peaceful night with some good music and good drinks? No fighting," Magnus gestures the seat beside him with a long fingered hand. "Feel free to sit with us, Isabelle. At least until the show starts."

That's exactly what Isabelle did. Taking a seat next to her brother, she quietly sipped her drink and waited for the show to start. Once the lights dimmed a bit, the audience began to cheer as the band made their way to the stage. Simon approached the microphone, a smile on his face. 

He's kinda cute Alec thought. His eyes widened at his unsaid comment, hoping no one saw his strange expression. 

"Hey guys. Thanks for having us here today. This is actually our first big gig so we're so grateful to have such a big turnout. Hope you'll enjoy the show!" Simon beamed as the crowd clapped and cheered. 

They began to play their debut song "Forever Young" with Simon playing guitar and singing. The crowd swayed to the music as the song continued and Alec had to admit that they were good. Simon had a nice voice and was a talented guitar player. 

"I wanna be forever young, I wanna be forever youuuuuuuung," Simon smiled as he sang the last verse. He looked over in Isabelle's direction and winked. 

Alec looked to see if his sister saw him. Her face was wide with a smile and she was blushing under the faint lights. 

"Seems that your sister doesn't find that Lewis boy that annoying," Magnus whispered in Alec's ear. 

"Doesn't seem that way," Alec whispered back. Magnus breath gave him shivers that ran down his spine. "How many sets is he here for?"

Magnus shrugged. "Three or four. I don't really know. He's making me money so why do I care?" He smiled. "What do you say we get out of here? Go upstairs to my loft?"

Alec glanced up at the ceiling. "You have a loft? Here?"

"Of course! It's my escape from all the craziness and the noise. Soundproof and everything. No one will even hear you scream." 

Alec gulped nervously. "S-sure. Let's go."

He got to his feet and followed behind Magnus, making sure Isabelle wasn't paying attention. Which she wasn't. Her eyes were fixated up on the stage as Simon began to sing a new song. 

Upstairs looked even more extravagant than the main floor. A large four poster bed rest against one corner of the room, overlooking the dance floor below. A table decorated with several different types of drinks stood in front of the bed, with a cabinet filled with odds and end off to the other far side of the room. 

"Wow," Alec said. "This is.....nice."

Magnus snorted. "Not nearly as nice as home sweet home. This is just a getaway from all the madness down below. I value the quiet."

Alec poked the bed with a finger. "If you value the quiet so much then why do you own a nightclub?"

Magnus shrugged. "I have my reasons. For now I'll just say that I love a good party."

Alec sat down and watched Magnus pour up a drink. "I wasn't going to show up tonight. I almost didn't."

"I almost expected you not to. What made you change your mind?" Magnus said, not turning to face him. 

Alec took a deep breath. "I'm not sure, really. I honestly don't know."

"It wasn't for the music, that's for sure," Magnus chuckled. His back was still turned to Alec. 

"What if it was? You don't know me. I might like indie rock."

"If you liked indie rock, you wouldn't be up here with me. You would be down....." Magnus pointed to the floor below. "There."

It was Alec's turn to chuckle. "Are nightclub owners always this cryptic?"

"I wasn't being cryptic. I was being coy," Magnus peered over his shoulder, flashing Alec a sly smile. "So what are you doing up here, Alexander? Just admiring the view?"

The room lit up with neon lights and made Magnus' silhouette glow in the dark. "Depends on what view you're talking about," Alec whispered. 

The lights began to flash on the dance floor. The room suddenly became warmer as Magnus made his way over to where Alec was sitting on the bed and traced Alec's collarbone with a finger. There was a look in the man's eyes that Alec couldn't quite pick out; was it admiration? Want? All he knew was that it was making him nervous. 

"Magnus, I don't think this is a good idea..." He whispered. 

"Why not? We're alone. Are you thinking about what I said earlier? About people not being able to hear you scream? Because I meant that in the least disturbing way."

Alec breath hitched as Magnus kissed his neck. "Magnus. I can't do this. I'm not.....I'm not out yet."

This made Magnus freeze. "Oh. I see. So you've never been with another man before?" Alec shook his head. "I understand. You still haven't come out to your family yet. Do you think you ever will?"

That was a good question. Alec stopped to think for a moment before speaking. "One day. But today isn't that day."

Magnus bowed his head in understanding. "They'll won't love you less when you do. Trust me. You'll be a better person for it."

Alec nodded. "Thanks, Magnus. For everything. Tonight was fun-"

"Don't thank me. Not until it's all over."

"What's all over?"

Magnus smiled broadly. "You'll see."

➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰

"Clary is coming in later to order a cake for her mom's birthday so make sure you get all the details down. Is that clear?" 

Alec was doodling when Isabelle barked orders at him the next day at the bakery. She had found out that he and Max skipped work early yesterday and wasn't pleased at all. Plus there wasn't many chocolate chips left either. 

"I don't pay you to disobey orders, Alec. You didn't even take the cupcakes out when I asked you to. I had to do that myself when you had the brilliant idea to sneak off without telling me. Whose idea was that, anyway? Surely not our 10 year old mastermind of a brother."

"It was mine. He doesn't spend enough time with us, Iz. We barely see him anymore as it is. Are you really going to get mad at me over that?"

Isabelle sighed and tied her hair back into a bun. "What are you doodling? That's a cool symbol."

Alec looked down at his drawing. The symbol looked like two scythes crossing each other, with an angular square joining them on the bottom. "I have no idea what this is. I swear."

Isabelle shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Clary just walked in. Go get her order down."

Alec went to the front of the shop where Isabelle's red headed friend stood waiting. "Hi. How can I help you?"

Clary smiled. "Hey Alec. I'm looking at getting a birthday cake for my mom. Think you can help me out?"

Alec nodded. "Sure. What did you have in mind?"

The door opened again and a bald headed man came in to stand behind Clary. It was her father, Valentine Morgenstern. Up and coming candidate for mayor of Brooklyn. "Hey. Sorry I'm late. Order a cake for your mom yet?"

"Nope. You're just in time. Alec and I are just getting started, actually. Where's mom? She can't know about the cake. It's a surprise."

Valentine laughed. "Don't worry. Your brother has her busy looking at shoes. You know what she's like when gets into the zone."

Alec cleared his throat. "So the details. Anything in particular that you're looking for?"

Clary took out a drawing from her bag. "I'm thinking something like this?

The drawing of the cake was impressive. In fact, it looked so realistic that Alec nearly drooled just looking at it. It was a three layer cake, like a wedding cake, except the colors were bright and and loud; much like the Morgenstern family. 

"Wow. Who needs the real thing when you got a drawing as realistic as this? I'd just eat the paper," Alec took a photo of the drawing with his phone to give to Isabelle. 

Clary blushed. "Thanks. But I don't think my mom wants to eat paper on her birthday."

"We can't say we didn't try," Valentine laughed as Clary nudged him with her elbow. "What? It's true!"

"You're not getting a cake for your birthday, you cheapskate. That's your punishment," Clary laughed as she took out her phone. "Oh crap. That's Seb. He says mom is done shoe shopping and is looking for us."

"That's our cue to leave I suppose. This will be done for next Thursday, right?" Valentine asked. 

"I'll put the order in right away for Mrs. Morgenstern. You came in prepared, sir. You even have what you want it made out of written down along with the drawing." Alec tapped his pen impatiently. "This'll be ready for next Thursday at 10 am sharp."

Valentine shook his hand. "Perfect. Thanks so much! Have a great day!"

Alec scuffled back into the kitchen when they left, printing off the photo of the cake with the office printer. "Izzy! I got the order down!"

Isabelle poked her head around the corner. "Beautiful. Oh wow. Now that's a cake. Three tiers aren't easy to do."

"Good thing you're the baker then," Alec three down the clipboard which he didn't even need. "So about you and Simon...."

Isabelle blushed. "What about us?"

"Don't play dumb, Izzy. Did you two hook up last night?"

Isabelle giggled. "We totally did. He brought me back to his place after the show and we made out. Thank god his roommate Jordan wasn't there. I think he was out with Maia anyway so it all worked out nicely. So what happened with you and Magnus?"

Alec nearly dropped the bowls he was carrying. "What? What about me and Magnus?"

"I'm asking you. I saw you follow him to his sex chamber on the second floor-"

"He told me it was a loft."

"I'm kidding. Geez. Just answer the question. Did you make out with him?"

Alec felt his entire body heat up with dread. "How did you know?"

Isabelle looked at him and rolled her eyes. "I have eyes, doofus. I see you getting all googly eyed at him whenever he opens his mouth to speak. It's plain as day. You like him."

"But how did you know? How long have you known?"

"Well you're not exactly stealthy when it comes to hiding things. You check Jace out every time he walks into the room. I've seen you look at Clary's brother a few times. Hell, you even checked out Simon once or twice. Don't deny it either."

Alec pushed his hair back off his forehead. "Does mom and dad know?"

Isabelle shook her head. "No. Not that I know of. But I don't think they do."

"Good. Let's keep it that way. At least for now. I don't think mom would be too pleased to have a gay son anyway. She likes the idea of a pristine, all-American family. God forbid I ruin her dream."

Isabelle sat next to him by the counter. Her eyes looked sad when she stared him in the eye. "Alec....sometimes you have to do what your heart tells you to do. It's not always about putting others before yourself. You have to think about what you want too. Your happiness matters."

"I don't-I don't want to talk about this right now. How many Napoleons are left in the display case? I think we're running low."

Alec ignored his sister's annoyed sigh as she handed him a tray full of desserts. It was only easy for her to put others before herself. She didn't have the weight of the world on her shoulders. 

Alec did. 

➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰

Alec had the next day off. Which was great because he could finally relax without anyone giving him orders and telling him what to do. He spent the entire day in his apartment eating food and watching tv. This classified as a great day. 

His day got even better when Magnus knocked on the door. He stood in lounge attire, complete with sweatpants, t-shirt and slippers, and his hair was a hot mess. 

"Magnus," Alec breathed. 

"Alexander. Hi. Do you have a moment?" Magnus whispered. "I don't have much time so we need to be quick about this."

"Uh," Alec mumbled. "Sure? Come on in."

Magnus made his way inside over to the kitchen counter. "I assume you know about Jocelyn's birthday party next Thursday, right?"

Alec crossed his arms over his chest. "I knew about it but I wasn't exactly. invited. Isabelle was though. She's bringing Simon with her-oh no. I see where you're headed with this."

Magnus ignored him. "I want you to come with me. Be my plus one."

"Magnus, I can't. You know I can't. What would my parents think when they see their oldest son show up to the party with a man?"

"I'd be pretty damn proud, myself. For someone to overcome their fears in front of others is something to be very proud of."

Alec scoffed. "Yeah well it's not that easy. At least it isn't for me. My parents would probably disown me."

Magnus flinched. "That seems rather harsh, doesn't it?"

"The law is hard but it is the law. That's what my mother always says to us. Drilled it into our heads."

"Since when was it against the law to be gay? We live in America, Alec. We have a lot of freedom here. Sure we're not perfect but at the end of the day, love is love. Regardless."

The sound of the tv was the only thing they heard for several minutes as they gazed awkwardly at the room around them. 

"I can't go, Magnus. With or without you. I'm sorry to have wasted your time here tonight."

Magnus shrugged. "Don't worry about it. When you're finished being a mama's boy, you know where to find me. Have a good night, Alec."

He left the apartment and slammed the door behind him, leaving Alec standing by himself. Alone. Again. Just like he always was with every aspect of life. It was never Alec and somebody. It was always Alec. 

Just Alec. 

➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰

The day before the party and Alec was putting the finishing touches on the cake for tomorrow. Max was helping by handing him the decorations needed for the top tier of the cake. Everything else was finished. 

"Why is it so big?" Max asked. "It's almost as tall as I am."

"That's what the customer ordered. We have to give them what they want, right? Can't have an unhappy customer."

Max shrugged. "What if you're unhappy? Like with the choices you're making with the cake?"

Alec looked down at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well....what if not everyone likes chocolate cake? Maybe you like vanilla? What do you do when the whole cake is chocolate and you like vanilla?"

Snorting, Alec booped his nose. "I think you're being silly. Hand me the paintbrush, will you?"

Max handed him the final decoration. "I'm just saying. Sometimes you have to go against what other people want and do what's best for you. That's what I'd do."

Alec paused. Did he just get lectured by his 10 year old brother who knew nothing about his current situation? Who knew nothing about Magnus or his own feelings for him? Granted, Max had a point. His cake example proved a point, whether Max was aware of it or not. 

"You know what, bud? You're getting too smart for me. Must be all the chocolate chips we keep sneaking," he smirked as Max giggled and nodded. "What do you say we sneak some more when Izzy isn't looking?"

"Good idea," Max whispered. "Will she get mad at us for taking more?"

Alec smirked. "What Isabelle doesn't know, won't hurt her."

➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰

Dinner at the Lightwood home was always quiet. The click of utensils, the muffled sound of the radio, and the humming of the refrigerator was usually the only thing that could be heard. But tomorrow was Jocelyn's birthday. This was the topic of conversation for tonight. 

"I have to pick up my dress from the dry cleaners tomorrow. I spilt vanilla extract all over it. That shit stains," Isabelle said. 

"Isabelle. Language. And I'm sorry to hear that about your dress. What was it doing at the bakery in the first place?" Their mother, Maryse, asked. Their mother was the prime example of a woman who thought very highly of herself. She was always neatly dressed, had perfect nails, and always made sure people knew their place when they were around her. 

"I had only just bought it, mother. It wasn't even in my hands five minutes and I spilt something on it. I'm so stupid...." Isabelle jabbed at the potato on her plate. "What are you wearing, alec? I didn't hear you say whether or not you're going to the party."

Alec looked up from his plate. All eyes were suddenly on him as they waited for him to answer. "Huh? What are talking about again?"

"The party, Alexander. Remember? Jocelyn's invited us?" Maryse said. "Or did you forget that too already?"

What else did I forget? "Oh. Yeah. Um....I didn't get an invitation sent to me."

Robert looked at him. "Seriously? You didn't get one? I'll call Val after dinner and ask him if he sent one to you. There has to be some sort of mistake."

"Dad, don't bother. I don't want to go anyway. I don't have anything to wear."

"Yeah because all of Alec's shirts have holes in them," Max sniggered as he ate a spoonful of peas. 

"That's enough, Max. If you're finished eating, go upstairs and finish your math homework. Your teacher told me today that you keep getting mixed up with adding and subtracting."

"I keep getting the symbols mixed up," Max whined. 

"Max, those symbols look nothing alike," Alec said. 

Max stuck out his tongue. "They do to me."

Isabelle smirked as their little brother left the dining room. "He's starting to get brazen. I'd keep an eye on him."

Maryse stared Alec down. "Alec. I've seen you with someone once or twice over the past few weeks. May I ask you who it was?"

Robert chuckled. "Oh? You never told me this, son. Who's the lucky lady?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Alec saw Isabelle quietly choke on a piece of chicken. "Uh....it's um....actually-"

"Spit it out, Alec. You don't stutter anymore. That's why we sent you to a speech therapist when you were young. So we could fix you."

Fix you. 

Fix you. 

Fix you. 

"It was a customer of Isabelle's. He lives in the same apartment complex as I do. We chat from time to time. He helped me the day I moved in. Carried my stuff up since Jace wouldn't help."

Maryse looked as if someone put an old sock under her nose and made her breathe in. "How come I've never met him before? Would I know his name?"

Alec shrugged. "I don't know. Does the name Magnus Bane mean anything to you?"

"Oh, him!" Robert exclaimed. "His club is pretty well known. Honey, didn't your boyfriend Simon play with his band there just last week?"

Isabelle nodded. "Yeah. He did. He was really good too."

"Why didn't you go too, Alec? You could use a few friends," Maryse said, not looking up at Alec. 

Alec clenched a fist under the table, staring at his plate. "I have friends."

"Really? I've never seen you around with them. You work, you go home, do god knows what, then go to sleep until work the next day. You don't socialize enough-"

"So you're going to send me to a therapist and hopefully fix that too?!" He snapped. 

Maryse glared at him. "Don't you use that tone of voice with me! I'm your mother!"

"If you were my mother, you'd know that nothing needs to be fixed because I'm not fucking broken!" Alec slammed a fist to the table and stood up. "I'm done. Screw this. Screw you. Screw everything."

The last thing Alec remembered before storming out of his childhood home was the look of utter shock on his mother's face, the frown on his father's and the broad smile on Isabelle's. It was as if she was proud of him for standing up to their mother, which is something she never he'd do. He didn't even think he could do it himself. 

But he did. He did and he felt much better doing so. 

➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰

"If I would've known that the party was a formal, I would've said no to Clary. I don't do formals," Jace uttered under his breath as he tried to do up his tie. 

"Would Clary let you say no to the party?" Alec asked. He watched from his bed as Jace tried over and over to fix his tie, failing miserably each time. 

"No. Probably not. Doesn't hurt to try though. Can you help me with this? It's driving me insane."

Alec got to his feet and went over to the full length body mirror that Jace was standing in front of. Ties were only easy to do. As he gripped the material, his eyes dipped down to a button on Jace's shirt that wasn't done up, revealing a sliver of abdomen. He held his breath and bit his lip hard. 

Jace noticed. "Hey. What's wrong with you? Is my cologne too strong or something? Do I have enough on?"

Alec nodded. "Yeah. No. I mean you're fine. You're perfect. Clary is going to flip when she sees you. You look very handsome-"

He stopped short when the word slipped from his mouth. Even Jace seemed to have paused, taking in what Alec just said to him. 

"Why thank you, Alec. That means a lot coming from you."

"What? Why? What have you heard? Who told you-"

"Whoa. Hey! Relax. What's wrong with you tonight? You're edgy. Edgier than usual. What's up?"

Alec said nothing, going back over to his bed and sitting down on it. 

"Ah. The famous Alec Lightwood silent treatment. I get it. Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, huh?"

"Just drop it, Jace."

"Holy shit. He speaks."

Alec cracked a small smirk. "It's just family problems-"

"So the usual?"

"Pretty much."

Jace jumped onto the bed and stretched out beside Alec. "You know what you need? You need to get laid."

"Excuse me?"

"You know. Have sex? Bump uglies? Birds and the bees?"

Alec scowled. "Jace....you don't understand. I've never had a girl in my bed before."

Jace looked at him carefully, his two different coloured eyes sparkling with mischief. "So you've had a guy in your bed before? Is that what you're saying?"

"No! That's not-I'm not saying that-I didn't m-mean-"

Jace laughed. "Alec. Relax. I'm just kidding with you. I didn't mean anything by it-" His phone buzzed and he took it out of his pocket. "Ah. Clary. Right on schedule. That's my cue to leave, dude. You going to be okay here for the night by yourself?"

"Yeah and thanks for reminding me that I'm constantly alone," Alec grumbled.

Jace chuckled. "You're not alone. There's someone out there for everyone. You'll find your soulmate one day. That day might even come sooner than you think."

Alec gave him a small smile as he left the room. Once he heard the front door close, he sighed and collapsed back onto his bed. Max's tiny voice echoed in his mind as he stared up at the ceiling. 

"Sometimes you have to go against what other people want and do what's best for you."

He immediately say up and stared at his closet. Inside, he owned one decent outfit that didn't have holes in it. One outfit that could change his life forever if he chose to do so. Did he want to work in a bakery for the rest of his life? Or come home unhappy and lonely all the time? Live in the shadows of his parents or have his mother constantly look down on him and his failures?

"I don't need to be fixed," he said to himself as he got up and opened his closet doors. "I am not broken."

➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰

The party was packed full of people by the time Alec got there. Lucky for him, he didn't have a car. He just tossed his bike into a nearby bush and hoped no one would find it and steal it. 

Inside, the music boomed from speakers and people were on the makeshift dance floor dancing and chatting to each other. From what Alec had researched about the building they were in, it had been an old church that was abandoned centuries ago. The Morgenstern family had owned the plot for generations, so Valentine turned it into a hotel called The Institute over the last ten years. 

"Alec? What are you doing here? Where the hell did you even get that suit?" Isabelle approached bim, looking him up and down. "You look incredible. Who knew you cleaned up so well?"

"Ha ha. Very funny. Mom and dad aren't here, are they?"

"Yes. Of course they're here. Why?" Isabelle gasped and giggled. "You're about to do something stupid, aren't you?"

Alec adjusted the tie at his throat. "Maybe. Why? What's it to you?"

Isabelle smiled softly. "He's over there, in case you were wondering."

Alec looked in the direction she was pointing in. His heart leapt in his throat when he saw Magnus in all his glory, sitting down and chatting with a crowd of people. 

"Relax. Just go up to him and ask him out. You do this stuff all the time," Isabelle poked him. 

"You do! I don't!" Alec adjusted his tie nervously again. "I can't do this. I can't breathe."

Isabelle sighed. "Tonight's the night, big bro. If you want happiness, then look no further. It's right in front of you."

Alec stared ahead at Magnus, who was watching Jocelyn as she went up to the dancefloor to slow dance with Valentine. War of Hearts by Ruelle was playing, the drums loud in Alec's chest. Or was that just his heartbeat? He couldn't tell anymore. 

He couldn't take it anymore. It was all suddenly too much as he stared at Magnus from across the room; he drank in his styled hair, extravagant outfit, expensive jewelry sparkling under the lights. 

His feet were suddenly moving forward. Or Magnus was getting closer; Alec couldn't really tell that either. All he knew was that all eyes were on him as he ever so rudely walked across the dancefloor during Jocelyn's dance and grabbed Magnus by the collar of his shirt. 

He kissed him. 

It was as if Magnus' mouth was made to fit his own as they explored the shape and feel of each other's skin. Magnus, surprised at first, pressed his hands against Alec's chest as if to push him away, but he eventually gave in and held Alec by the waist and pulled him in closer. 

When they finally pulled away, Alec was breathing hard. The crowd had gone dead silent, with only the music playing in the background. 

"What did I....." Alec gulped for air. "What did I just do?"

Magnus smiled a thousand watt smile. "You made the right choice, Alexander. That's what you did."

Alec's heart swelled. "I didn't, didn't I? I made the right choice for myself."

He suddenly felt a hand grab him by the arm and whirl him around. His mother, who looked ready to burn a village, glared at him with a hatred he'd never seen before. 

"Alec, what are you doing?" She hissed. 

Alec looked up at the faces around him. Isabelle smiled softly and nodded at him. Jace gave him a smirk and the thumbs up. Even Simon and Clary were smiling at him on approval. 

Alec, who was much taller than his mother, leaned in towards her and returned the glare she'd been giving him his entire life. 

"Enough," he said, making sure that everyone in the room heard him. 

That's when he took Magnus by the sleeve and walked to someplace more private. Once they were alone, Alec kissed him again just to make sure it was all real and not a dream. 

"Alec....you never cease to amaze me. What was that back there?" Magnus whispered. 

"I have no idea. But I feel like a million bucks because of it!" Alec laughed and kissed Magnus again. "I can't believe I've waited this long to do what makes me happy."

"I'm patient. I would've waited for you."

"I know you would've. Trust me. I know," Alec sighed shakily. "So uh.....what do you say we ditch this party? Go somewhere even more private?"

Magnus grinned. "Alexander. You naughty boy. Your place or mine?"

"We're neighbors, aren't we? Does it really matter?" Alec breathed. 

"My floor is soundproof, remember? No one will hear us."

Alec smiled broadly. "Then your place it is."


End file.
